Solid Waste/Recycling

The Vilas County Recycling Amnesty program allows Vilas County property owners to obtain a voucher which is good for up to $15 towards the cost of disposing of or recycling tires, appliances, and electronics. Items may be taken to any of the following locations, however it is recommended that residents contact the providers to determine what materials they accept and what costs are associated with each type of item:

Vouchers are available from your local municipal office and the Vilas County Zoning Office and are valid for sixty (60) days from the date of issuance. Vouchers are for residential use only, and are limited to two per household per year. Vouchers are disbursed until funds are no longer available.

For more information on the Vilas County Electronics Recycling Program contact the Vilas County Zoning Department at (715) 479-3620 or zoning@vilascountywi.gov.

Certain types of plastics: plastic shopping bags, bubble wrap, bread bags, ice bags, food storage bags (think Ziploc), produce bags, or any type of plastic wrap are not able to be recycled through traditional means.  These types of plastic should never be placed in your regular municipal recycling stream.   In 2019, Eagle River Elementary School participated in the Challenge and met their reward limit in under 60 days!  The Challenge will begin again in 2020.  Collection bins will be placed at five locations around the Eagle River area, and the school can win a Trex bench for the campus if they meet their goal.  Receptacles are available at the following locations:

Eagle River Elementary School lobby

Eagle River Pick n' Save

Salon & Spa on Railroad Street

Incredible Bank Eagle River Branch

Eagle River City Hall

Stop by any of these locations to drop off your plastic shopping bags, bread bags, produce bags, bubble wrap, resealable food bags, etc. and help meet our goals.

Focus on Energy, - the Wisconsin utilties' statewide energy efficency and renewable resource program - has free offers and incentives to help homeowners and businesses be more energy efficient. Click on the links below or call 1-800-762-7077 for more information.

• Focus on Energy Home Page
• Focus on Energy Homeowner Page
• Focus on Energy Small Business Page
• Focus on Energy Trade Allies Page
• Focus on Energy Appliance Recycling Program Page
• Focus on Energy Appliance Recycling Flier
• Focus on Energy Simple Energy Saving Tips

Hazardous Waste is accepted at the Oneida County Landfill near Rhinelander for a small fee. Click Here or call the Oneida County Solid Waste Department at (715) 282-4944 for more information about disposing hazardous wastes.

Demolition projects in Vilas County always require a zoning permit, but they may be subject to a number of other permits and regulations. Please see the list of contacts below for different issues affecting demolition projects.

Please click below to find the Earth-friendly tips that you hear on WRJO every day!

• Vilas County Recycling Amnesty Program
• Home Composting
• Focus on Energy
• Local Recycling Info
• Pharmaceutical Disposal
• Reducing Household Waste
• Reusing To Reduce Waste
• Saving Energy
• Septic Maintenance
• Shopping to Reduce Waste

Washington
Transfer Site
1850 Rangeline Road (between Eagle Waters and Scattering Rice Roads)

Call (715) 479-1669 or click here for more information. 

Winchester
Transfer Site
7208 CTH W

Call (715) 686-7500 or click here for more information.

Hours
Monday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Thursday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Saturday 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM 

Disposing of unused or expired medications by thowing them in the garbage or flushing them down the toilet can have highly detrimental effects on the environment. There are two locations in Vilas County which accept prescription, over-the-counter and pet medications for proper disposal.

Eagle River Police Department
Inside Eagle River City Hall
525 E. Maple St
Eagle River, WI 54521
Monday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
For more information call (715) 479-1941.

Lac du Flambeau Police Department
623 Peace Pipe Rd.
Lac du Flambeau, WI 54538
Monday-Friday 7:00 AM - 4:30 PM
For more information call (715) 588-7717

No medical or hazardous waste will be accepted at the pharmaceutical recycling locations.

Home composting is an easy way to cut down on landfill waste and create natural ferilizer for you home gardens. It will also help to cut down on your need for expensive chemical fertilizers and lower your carbon footprint. There are a number of different ways to create a compost bin or pile, but there are some general guidelines to follow for successful composting.

All composting requires four basic ingredients:

• Browns - dead leaves, branches, twigs, etc. which provide carbon
• Greens - grass clippings, fruit & vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, etc. which provide nitrogen
• Water
• Time

Brown and greens should be mixed in equal amounts, with alternating layers of organic materials with different size pieces. This creates voids where water and air can mix with the solids to help the decomposition of the solid materials. Click here for a link to lists of good and bad materials for your compost pile.

To create a compost pile or bin, pick a dry and shady spot in your yard. And add brown and green materials as they are collected, making sure that large pieces are chopped or shredded and that dry materials are moistened. Mix or turn and lightly moisten the compost pile on a regular basis once or twice a month. This will allow the air, water, and solids to mix and the microorganisms which create the compost to work under optimal conditions. It will take two months to two years to get usable compost after beginning your compost pile.

Once your pile is creating compost, continue to work it the same way and add the same materials, mixing the new material and burying it under the existing compost. Use the compost to help with your outdoor gardens and flowers and watch for the great results. For more information check out the links below.

• General Composting Information (US EPA)
• Composting in Wisconsin (WisDNR)
• Building a Compost Bin or Pile (Coming Soon)
• List of Suitable Compost Materials